A PENSIONER has been threatened with bailiffs by a phone firm – despite the fact they owe her money.

For six months, 82-year-old Margaret Sparkes has suffered stress, anxiety and endless phone calls from Talk Talk.

But she was not prepared for the latest shock, when last week she received a letter from a solicitor informing her bailiffs have been instructed on behalf of the phone provider to take belongings from the pensioner’s home.

Defiant Mrs Sparkes, of Highcliffe Road, Wickford, said: “I’m not going to pay them any money I don’t owe.

“All my children have been really worried by it, but I’m not going to let them get the better of me.

“If the bailiffs turn up there is nothing they can do, because I won’t let them in.”

Mrs Sparkes’ nightmare ordeal began last November, when she decided to change the provider of her landline from Talk Talk to BT.

Within weeks, Mrs Sparkes began receiving letters and at least one phone call a day from Talk Talk informing her that she owed the company £81.

The phone calls continued daily for months until in June this year, the pensioner began receiving letters from Talk Talk informing Mrs Sparkes they had instructed debt collectors.

As recently as last week, Graham White solicitors wrote to Mrs Sparkes stating bailiffs would be visiting her home to recoup the equivalent of the £81 from her belongings.

Yet bizarrely, Talk Talk themselves also wrote to Mrs Sparkes in recent weeks to confirm they had made a mistake and instead they owed her £44.14.

Despite this, Mrs Sparkes has been left wondering whether bailiffs will knock at her home.

Her soon-to-be daughter-in-law Sharon Pacitti, 54, of Steeplehall, Pitsea said: “It’s just been awful.

“She’s had constant letters from debt collectors and phone calls. She’s been through a world war, she doesn’t need this.

“We have been beside ourselves with worry, we ring Talk Talk and we still can’t get an answer.”

The Echo approached Talk Talk for a comment, but the company did not give a response.